Salvadoran Government, Rebels Debate Cease-fire In New York

September 22, 1991|The New York Times

UNITED NATIONS -- A top Salvadoran guerrilla commander has defended the guerrillas` demand for incorporation into the Salvadoran armed forces as crucial to the success of any accord to end the 11-year war.

The commander, Salvador Sanchez, heads the Popular Liberation Forces, thought to be the largest of the five groups making up the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front.

He and the four other guerrilla commanders are in New York to take part in talks at the United Nations aimed at ending the war.

The meetings, which President Alfredo Cristiani is also attending, are expected to continue at least through the weekend.

Sanchez, better known by his nom de guerre, Leonel Gonzalez, said on Thursday that it would be ``impossible, impractical`` for the Salvadoran rebels to demobilize and disarm along the lines followed by the Contras last year in Nicaragua, where it was done in exchange for land and humanitarian assistance.

He said this would not guarantee the Salvadoran guerrillas` security.

The matter of the guerrillas` incorporating into the armed forces has become the main roadblock to a settlement after nearly a year and a half of talks. Preliminary agreements were reached months ago involving human rights and political liberty.

The Cristiani government and the armed forces have steadfastly resisted a guerrilla proposal that rebel leaders be allowed to enter the army with officer rank.

But Cristiani has said that after a peace accord, former guerrillas would be free to apply for admission to the army and police academies.

He has also agreed to a package of measures intended to improve the human rights record of the armed forces.

Sanchez said that was not enough. ``Even if the army is reduced and reformed, and even if a United Nations verification mechanism is established, neither we nor Salvadoran society can have enough confidence in the army,`` he said.